Electric generator



2 SheetsSheet 1 Filed May 10, 1946 FIG,

INVENTOR. ROBERT C. HARRlS W R. C. HARRIS ELECTRIC GENERATOR May 31, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 10, 1946 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. ROBERT c. HARRlS fih yq Patented May 31, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric impulse generators, and more particularly to generators of the type wherein a sudden surge of current is produced by movement of a floating armature into and out of contact with diagonally opposite pole pieces of a permanent magnet, or by alternately contacting said diagonally opposite pole pieces of a movable magnet with a stationary armature.

In these types of generators, current is produced by movement of the armature away from two diagonally opposite pole pieces of the magnet and into contact with two other diagonally opposite pole pieces of said magnet, or by oscillating the magnet relatively to the armature to force two diagonally opposite pole pieces of said magnet away from a stationary armature and bring two other diagonally opposite pole pieces of the magnet into contact with said stationary armature. However, because of the strong magnetic force exerted upon the armature by the pole pieces with which it is in contact, it is sometimes very difficult to break the contact between the armature and one set of pole pieces and form a contact between said armature and another set of said pole pieces. It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide means to assist in overcoming this magnetic pull exerted on the armature, thereby facilitating operation of the device.

A further object of my invention is to provide resilient means capable of adjustment for varying the force required to break the contact between said armature and the pole pieces of the magnet.

Another object is to provide means for cushioning the blow of the armature against the pole pieces when the armature is actuated, thereby saving wear and tear on the armature and pole pieces and at the same time deadening the noise normally occurring when the device is operated.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In th drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar cross section showing the armature in a position opposite to that shown in .Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is an end view of the device.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view showing one method of operating the device.

Fig. 6 is an end view of a portion of the device shown in Fi 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of the device shown in Fig, '7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 2 designates a permanent magnet or magnets having north poles 5 and south poles 6 secured to or formed integral with pole plates 4. The magnets are secured between the plates 4' by means of screws or the like 11. The plates 4 are preferably made of soft iron or other material of high magnetic susceptibility.

A coil 1 is mounted between the opposed pairs of pole pieces 5, B, and an armature 8 extends through the coil and between said opposite pole pieces. As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the armature is solely supported within the magnetic field by the magnetic force exerted thereon through diagonally opposite north and south poles and one, or both ends of the armature may extend beyond the pole pieces, for a purpose or purposes hereinafter described. Wires 9, Ill extend from opposite ends of the coil I for connection to the firing device, signal or the like, II, to be supplied with an electrical load from the generator.

The armature may be moved by hand from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, that is, into contact with one or the other of the respective diagonally opposite pole pieces 5 and 6 to produce th desired surge of current, or may be reciprocated either continuously or periodically, by any suitable motor or trigger mechanism connected to one or both extensions of the armature.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown one form of manually operable means for reciprocating the armature. In this embodiment of the invention, I provide a handle member l9 having lateral extensions 20 secured to opposite ends of the armature by means of screws or the like 2i. By grasping handle member l9 in one hand, the operator may rock the armature into and out of contact with diagonally opposite pole pieces of the magnet, thereby producing a surge of current each time the armature comes into contact with one set of said diagonally opposite pole pieces.

The same result may be accomplished by anchoring the ends of the armature in any suitable manner, as shown in Fig. 8, and rocking the magnet relatively to the armature, providing the armature is made to contact diagonally opposite north and south pole pieces upon each rocking movement of the magnet. Here again, the desired action of the device may be accomplished by hand or by any suitable device (Figs. 7 and 8) capable of producing the required rocking action of the magnet relatively to the armature.

In Figs. '7 and 8, I have illustrated one method of operating the device by rockingthe magnet" relatively to a stationary armature. In this em- 10 bodiment of the invention, the generator assembly is arranged within a box or casing 60 pro-' vided with grooves 6| in its end walls to receive the ends of the armature 8 and lock the latter in fixed position within the casing betwe'e-n "the l5- pole pieces 5 and 6 of the magnets; A treadle 62;- is secured to the generator assembly and extends outwardly through an opening 63 in the'casingi' When a vehicle or the like passes over the projec'ting end of the treadle, thelatter will be rocked on its pivot 64,- which-rockingmovement will beimparted to the'magnet assembly thereby causing first one set of the diagonally opposite pole 'pieces' 5; B to contact the armature; and then the other set of said diagonally opposite-pole" pieces to contact'the armature." Each 'timethe treadle is rocked, and one set of diagonally=oppo-=- site'pole pieces is brought-into contact with the armaturej-a-surge of if current will be produced andpass'from the'coil 1 through the'wiresKnot" shown) to the signal or device to be operated," which'device or signal may be'a light, bell,*relay; or anyunit requiring electric energy.

To facilitate actuation'of the armature and/ or the magnet, and to overcome themagneticforce exerted upon said armature by thediagonally opposite pole pieces; I provide a pairof members l2' having resilient extensions '13, adapted'to bear" against one facepr'th'e other of the projecting.

endsof the armature 8 when thelattercom'es 40 into contact with th'e'resp'ective diagonally opposite pole pieces 5; 6. The members IZareshaped to'fit over the poleplates 4 and may be secured to the latter by welding or the'like. In'order L5 to vary the effectiveness of the resilient members l3; upon the' armature; the members lz'may be secured'to the magnets by screws I5. By loosen ing the screws l5thusenabling movement of the members I2 away from the magnet; th'e-efiecti've- 5 While I prefer'to have the mer'n'berslZ 'made of metal, it will be understood'th'a't the same may I1 "e"m'ade of any 'oth'er'suitable material afford ihg"thedesiredresiliency in the extensions l3. However, when the members I2 are-formed of metal, I prefer touse a rubber insert or strap f6 on the inner surfaces of theextensions 13 to cushion the blow against these extensions when the armature is snapped-into contact with one or'th'e other of the diagonally opposite pole pieces. 12 and theirresilientextensions l3, it will be understood that wear and tear on the armature and pole pieces will be greatly minimized; and'at'the same time, the device will be substantially noiseless in operation In operation, when force is exerted against the armature-to swing the latter in a counter-clock wise or clockwise direction, as for example, from thepositionshown in-Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, or when the mag-net assemblyisrocked" 75 With this arrangement of the members relatively to the stationary armature (Fig. 8), a sudden surge of current will be developed and pass from the coil through the wires to the signal or other device to be operated. The magnetic force acting upon the armature through the diagonally opposite north and south poles with which the armature is in contact will resist this movement. However, the resilient extensions on the members l2, bearingon'opposite sides of the armature, will have a tendency toovercome this magnetic pull upon the armature and thereby facilitate movement of the latter or the magnet assembly-from one position to the other. By adjusting the screws I5 and thereby moving the members 12 toward or away from the armature, it is possible tovary the spring tension exerted by the members l3 against the armature, wherebysgre'ater or less force will be required to reciprocate the armature or the diagonally oppositepoles from: one-position to the otheri- While I have-disclosed what I now consider tobe preferred embodiments of -my invention, it will: be' manifest to those skilled" in the art that -vari-- ous changes may be made in the details :disclosed, withoutdeparting from thespirit ofxthe. invention, as "expressed in the followingz c1aims.-.

What I claim and desireztosecure by Letters Patent is:

1;: An electric impulse: generator" comprising'a member for providing amagnetic .field, a second.

membersupported in said" field and through' which theflux-ofthefield passes in one direction on in the opposite directionadependent upon theposition-occupied by one member relatively to the other member, a coil-inductively coupled to said? second member, meansfor'moving one'of said membersrelatively to-' the other member for: changing; the? direction of i flux: passing through said'second member; and means on oneof said.

members" bearing 'against' the other member and constantlyten'ding to move onem'emberrelatively; to'the othermember.

2; An electric -impulse generator comprising a memberfor providing a magnetic: field, a secondmember supportecl in: saidfieldand through which theflux of the field passesiin one 'direction' or 'inthe opposite direction dependent upon'the position oceupied by. onewm'ember" relatively, to the other member, a coil inductively coupled to said secondmembenameans" for moving one of said members relatively to: the other member for changing thedirection of F flux" passing through said second member,- and resilient means on one of said members bearing against the other 'membar and iconstantly tending to move ;one' member relatively to'-tl1'e-othenmember-.

3. An eleo'tr'ievimpulsegenerator comprising a magnet for providing' 'a magnetic field, an arma ture supported in said 1 fieldand through which the: flux ofthe fieldpasses-in one direction or in the'oppositedirection dependent upon the position=occupied bythe armature relatively. to the magnet; a coil inductively coupled to said armature, means for moving said armature relatively to them'agnet for changing the direction of flux passing through saidarmature, and resilient means on said magnet bearing against the armature and constantly tending to move" the armature'relatively'tothe magnet.

4. An electric impulse generator comprising a. magnet for providing amagnetic field, an armature supported'in said field and through which the flux of the field passes in one direction or in the opposite directiondependent upon the position occupied by the armature relatively to the magnet, a coil inductively coupled to said armature, means for moving said armature relatively to the magnet for changing the direction of flux passing through said armature, and resilient means on said magnet bearing against opposite faces of the armature and constantly tending to move the armature relatively to the magnet.

5. An electric impulse generator comprising a magnet for providing a magnetic field, an armature supported in said field and through which the flux of the field passes in one direction or in the opposite direction dependent upon the position occupied by the armature relatively to the magnet, a coil inductively coupled to said armature, means for moving said armature relatively to the magnet for changing the direction of flux passing through said armature, resilient means on said magnet bearing against opposite faces of the armature and constantly tending to move the armature relatively to the magnet, and means for varying the tension of said last mentioned means against the opposite faces of said armature.

6. An electric impulse generator comprising a magnet having two pole pieces on each pole, an armature movable between said pole pieces, a coil inductively coupled to said armature, manually operable means connected to said armature for moving the latter into and out of engagement with diagonally opposite pole pieces of the magnet, and resilient means on said magnet bearing against the armature and constantly tending to break the contact between said armature and said diagonally opposite pole pieces of the magnet.

'7. An electric impulse generator comprising a magnet for providing, a magnetic field, an armature supported in said field and through which the flux of the field passes in one direction or in the opposite direction dependent upon the position occupied by the magnet relatively to the armature, a coil inductively coupled to said armature, a pair of pole pieces on each pole of the magnet, means for rocking said magnet relatively to said armature for bringing diagonally opposite pole pieces into contact with said armature, and means on said magnet bearing against opposite faces of the armature and constantly tending to force said diagonally opposite pole pieces out of contact with said armature.

ROBERT C. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Severance May 22, 1945 

